It was over. Triumphant music filled the church and the bride and groom went down the aisle together, each with an arm around the other. Kelly followed, on cue, but the best man had to give Shay a little tug to get her in motion.

Snow was wafting slowly down from the night sky as Ivy and Todd got into their limousine and raced away toward the restaurant where their reception was being held.

Hank pulled at Shay’s skirt. “Mom? If nobody’s at home when Santa Claus gets there, will he still leave presents?”

Shay bent and kissed the top of his head. “Don’t you worry, tiger. He’ll definitely leave presents.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Mitch muttered into her ear. “Where did you say all that stuff was hidden?”

“On the big shelf over the cellar stairs,” Shay whispered back.

“I’ll meet you at the reception,” Mitch said after he’d helped Shay and Alice into Shay’s van. Hank and Kelly were in the backseat giving voice to the visions that would later dance in their heads.

“He’s tall for an elf,” Alice commented as Mitch walked away and got into his own car.

A few hours later, when Hank and Kelly were both sound asleep on beds Mitch had improvised for them by putting chairs together, Ivy and Todd left the reception with the customary fanfare, the guests throwing rice, God throwing snow.

“Did you set the presents out?” Shay whispered to Mitch.

He touched the tip of her nose. “Yes. And I filled Hank’s stocking.”

The other wedding guests were all putting on their coats and the sight gave Shay a sad feeling. It was Christmas eve and she wished that she could share the last magical minutes of the night with Mitch. It would have been fun to set out presents and fill stockings together, talking in Santa Claus whispers.…

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mitch said gently. It seemed that he had read her thoughts, that he shared them.

After dropping Alice off at her apartment—like Mitch and Kelly, she would spend Christmas day at Shay’s house—Shay ushered her sleepy son out of the car and up the front walk to the door. The porch light was burning bright and she blessed Mitch for remembering to leave it on as she rummaged through her purse for her keys.

The tinsel on the Christmas tree shimmered in the dim light as Shay passed it, and snow still wafted past the windows. She put Hank to bed and returned to the living room, switching on the small lamp on the desk.

Hank’s toys had been carefully arranged under the tree, his new skateboard, his electric train, his baseball glove. His stocking, resting on the sofa because there was no mantelpiece, bulged with candy canes and jacks, rubber balls and decks of cards. Shay had shopped for all these things herself, but it seemed to her that there were a few more packages than there should have been.

She took a closer look and found that four enormous presents, all tagged with Hank’s name, had been added to the loot. Smiling to herself, she shut out the light and went into her room.